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A review by loveforwords
Finding Aurora by Rebecca Langham
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I will forever and ever be grateful to short books because they're an escape from reality that doesn't require too much energy from the reader.
I found Finding Aurora in a rec list for fairytale retellings. One of the reasons I didn't enjoy it more than I did is probably because it reads like a Middle Grade to Young Adult book (or younger YA, whichever gets my point across).
I put it in the same category as Fairest Son : short and easy.
Likes:
- It's a retelling *squeals*
- LGBTQIA+ rep, and not just for show? The author doesn't really delve into it, granted, but it still feels genuine. The confusion is good, speaking from experience.
- The true love kiss. The execution wasn't exactly smooth, and it was quite predictable, but I loved it so much.
- It's a quick read, good to take your mind off life's problems.
Middle ground:
- I didn't particularly like the characters, especially the main one, she feels a bit like a pick-me girl. But they're meant to be sweet and they don't cross into annoying territory (too often) so we're cool. The prince is cute.
- The world building is not the strongest, but what can you really do with 70 pages in that aspect. Let's not be too demanding.
- The pacing was slow, and the plot kinda weak.
Dislikes:
- The writing wasn't my cup of tea. The big words with the young-ish tone make it feel clumsy.
- The ending. It's quite childish, and rushed, and open ended, my checklist for endings I don't like.
- The lack of substance, of depth, in the whole story and mood. The scenes that were meant to be tragic felt cartoonishly so because there was a lot of telling and not much showing.
I found Finding Aurora in a rec list for fairytale retellings. One of the reasons I didn't enjoy it more than I did is probably because it reads like a Middle Grade to Young Adult book (or younger YA, whichever gets my point across).
I put it in the same category as Fairest Son : short and easy.
Likes:
- It's a retelling *squeals*
- LGBTQIA+ rep, and not just for show? The author doesn't really delve into it, granted, but it still feels genuine. The confusion is good, speaking from experience.
- The true love kiss. The execution wasn't exactly smooth, and it was quite predictable, but I loved it so much.
- It's a quick read, good to take your mind off life's problems.
Middle ground:
- I didn't particularly like the characters, especially the main one, she feels a bit like a pick-me girl. But they're meant to be sweet and they don't cross into annoying territory (too often) so we're cool. The prince is cute.
- The world building is not the strongest, but what can you really do with 70 pages in that aspect. Let's not be too demanding.
- The pacing was slow, and the plot kinda weak.
Dislikes:
- The writing wasn't my cup of tea. The big words with the young-ish tone make it feel clumsy.
- The ending. It's quite childish, and rushed, and open ended, my checklist for endings I don't like.
- The lack of substance, of depth, in the whole story and mood. The scenes that were meant to be tragic felt cartoonishly so because there was a lot of telling and not much showing.